Container for cosmetics



Dec. 12, 1950 J. G. BAUMGARTNER CONTAINER FOR COSMETICS Filed April 10, 1947 I INVHVTOR.

19 16a 19 1% M a haw/251222".

Patented Dec. 12, 1950 CONTAINER FOR COSMETICS John G. Baumgartner, Oswego, Ill., assignor to Maybelline Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April ill, 1947, Serial No. 740,617

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a new and improved cosmetic container and a method of assembly thereof and more particularly to a container which is capable of being manufactured on a mass production basis at a minimum cost.

Various cosmetic preparations are extensively sold on the market in rather decorative containers often formed of a suitable material such as plastic or the like. For example, it has been common practice to sell mascara in a suitable container which may be carried in a ladys handbag or purse. Such cosmetic containers normally comprise a partitioned container for holding a cake of mascara or other suitable preparation for coloring the eyelashes, together with an applicator therefor in the form of a brush or the like. A cover generally of hinged construction is normally provided for the box or container. The cover and box portions of such a container could be constructed with a minimum of expense out of a suitable plastic or the like but the assembly process of hingedly relating the cover and box has been a major item of expense. At the same time it is desirable that such a container for a cosmetic preparation when bounced around in a handbag or pocketbook will not spill its contents into the pocketbook so as to come in contact with the other items within the bag which might be colored, stained or otherwise harmed by contact therewith. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a container of the type referred to above which is very inexpensive from a manufacturing standpoint as well as an assembly standpoint and which is substantially incapable of spilling its contents so as to cause the undesirable results referred to above.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved container including a cover therefor.

It is another object to provide a new and im-- proved method of assembling and releasably interlocking a cover and container for a cosmetic preparation.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claim annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container in cluding a box and cover embodying the present invention with the parts shown in disassembled relationship;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the container shown in closed position; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the interlocking means for preventing disiii) 2 assembly of the cover from the box once these parts have been assembled.

Referring now to the drawing, there is illustrated a container generally designated at [0 comprising a box H and a cover i2. Preferably, the box H and the cover l2 are formed from a suitable plastic material which can be made in any color and which provides a Very pleasing appearance. As illustrated, the box II is of rectangular configuration having a bottom portion and four sides Ila, lib, Ho and lid arranged perpendicularly to said bottom portion. A suitable partition l3 may be provided so as to divide the box into two compartments, the partition I3 extending longitudinally of the box I I. As illustrated in Fig. 1, one of these compartments is adapted to contain a suitable brush M by means of which the mascara or other cosmetic preparation may be applied. The other compartment is adapted to contain a suitable preparation such as mascara illustrated at It in Fig. 1 of the drawing in the form of a cake of a size so as to just fit into said other compartment.

The cover I2 is constructed in the manner of a match box cover and is adapted to be arranged in telescopic relationship with the box I l in a manner which will be well understood by those skilled in the art. In other words, the cover 12 substantially defines a closed container having at least one open end [2a into which the box ll may be inserted. When the container is closed the box H and cover l2 are in the completely telescoped position indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

For the purpose of preventing disassembly of the box 5 i from the cover l2 once they have been assembled, there are preferably provided at the junction points between the end wall lid of the box ii and the walls Ho and ill) projections or car portions 5.? which are integrally formed with the box l E. These projections i8 preferably have rounded surfaces ita which in effect are extensions of the outside surface of the wall Hd. On the side opposite the rounded surface lEa each of the projections is provided with a shoulder portion we. Similarly the cover 52 is provided with cooperating projections or cars it? defined at one end thereof extending into the open end 52a which actually is the entrance to the cover l2. These projections are preferably of the same form as the projections 53 having a rounded portion 19a facing toward the outside of the cover and a shoulder portion ldb facing in the opposite direction. The projections l8 and I5 are so constructed so as to tend to prevent the box H from being inserted into the cover l2 through the entrance lZa. However, in accordance with the resent invention, the projections l6 and I9 are so constructed that upon the application of sufi'lcient force to tend to cause the box and :bly of the container beobvious. It will be understoodthat the'box i 3 cover to telescope together the parts of the box and cover are distorted or deformed sumciently so these coope ating projections i8 and i9 can slip past each other whereupon subsequent disassembly of the cover 52 from the box if is prc vented by the engagement of the shoulders i322 of the projections l 3 with the shoulders l9b of the projections is, as is clearly shown in Fi 3 of the drawing. It will be apparent that 'therounded portions of the projections it and i9 aid in the assembly ope ation by providing a sort of wedge effect to cause the necessary distortion so that the projections may slip past each other. However, the cooperating shoulder portions lSb and 5% as will be apparent from Fig. 3 clearly prevent any subsequent disassembly ofthe members ii and To facilitate opening the container comprisingthe box ii and the cover i2,the end wall He of the box ii is preferably provided with-extensions 2,6 which may readily be grasped by the fingers to manipulate the container from the closed'to the open position. also in accordance with the present invention, the projections itare preferably arranged to produce a slight frictional zengagement with the walls the cover l2 so that the container will remainin the closed position unless an ope lngferce is appliedion the extensions 29 the box 5 l. It'will be understood that this frictional force is very small-so as vmerely'to prevent inadvertent opening of the box while bounced around within the handbag, pocketbook or other means in which it is carried. if desired, this slight frictional force could 'be provided by various other means such as the frictional engagement of the partition it with the cover it or any other suitable arrangement.

In view of the detailed description included above, the construction and method of assemthe present invention will and cover it with'the integral projections ,crextensions can'be manufactured at a minimum of cost. Furthermore, the assembly of 1 he box and cover can be accomplished in a very small period of time merely byforcibly inserting the box i:

into the cover so that the projections it move be strewn around within the handbag or pocketbook so as to come in contact with other objects contained therein. Although the present invention has been described particularly in connection with a container for mascara, it should be understood that it can also be used for containing other cosmetic preparations in which case a suitable mirror might be attached to one of the larger exterior surfaces of the cover 52.

While there has been described a particular embodiment of the present invention,it should be understood that various changes and modifica tions thereof can be made without departing from the present invention. It is aimed in the appended claim to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Whatis claimed as new and desired to be socured by Letters Patent of the United States is: A two-member disposable plastic container for mascara applying materials comprising a recsides thereof adjacent one end and comprising together a first set of such projections, and said containeralso comprising a one-piece rectangular cover member'for telescopically receiving said box member, said cover member being open at each end thereof and having a top, a bottom, and two opposing integral closing sides, with the inside cross-sectional di' "1111810118 of the "cover member being substantially uniform throughout,

and with the height of one end wall of the box member being substantially the same as the inside height dimension of the cover member, and

an inwardly protruding flange projection on each side thereof at the same end and comprising together a second set of projections, at least one of said two sets of projections having a beveled surface at the edge of each projection initially engaged when the two members are telesccped together so that oneset may be pressed past the other set upon the two members being telescoped together, and both of said sets of projections being further shaped to present face abutting surfaces for preventingthe complete withdrawal of saidboxmember"from said cover member, with said cover member having said box member extending therefrom but not completely separable in one direction and serving as a handle for carrying the container when the box member is open for access thereto, and the end wall at the other end of the box member extendingbeyond the side edges of the box member to abut the ends of the walls of the cover member to prevent the box member from being telescoped through the cover member in the otherdirection and separated therefrom.

JOHN G. BAUMGARTNER.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

